


A Wild Fantastic Ride

by Measured_Words



Category: Changeling: the Dreaming, Webercon Whidbey Island Changeling Game
Genre: Dreams and Nightmares, Established Relationship, F/M, Fantasy, Fluff and Angst, Magic, Potions, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:14:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26962747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Measured_Words/pseuds/Measured_Words
Summary: Trolius wants some special time with Lou, but his plans backfire.
Relationships: Lou Masters/Trolius Eiluned
Kudos: 2





	A Wild Fantastic Ride

Trolius had hoped for a bit of a better reception to his pitch, but instead Lou looked skeptical.

"I'm not much of a swimmer, babe. Or that into the ocean sights."

"Its not like regular swimming, since the pearl lets you breathe underwater. More like floating around underwater."

Lou grimaced. "Like, I get you think everyone should try it out before we need it, that's fine. But there's other things I'd rather do with you for a 'date'. In places where's leverage"

He smiled, flattered but trying not to get too distracted. "Okay, but hear me out. You can also use the pearl to like… walk around on things just like you were walking on the ground."

"Are you talking about sex on the sandy ocean floor, babe? I'm getting more dubious about this, not less."

"Have some faith, Lou. I'm talking about the ship."

He waited for her to think that one through – it didn't take long for her skeptical look to turn more intrigued, and then excited. "Okay – the _Fantastic_ is a technological marvel so, yeah maybe that would be cool." She hesitated, looking thoughtful. "We'll have to wait for a bit though."

"We will?"

"Gotta heal up," she said, reaching up to gently tap one of the new ear-tip piercings he'd gotten in Draur. "Probably you should keep out of the ocean for a bit. Not exactly as sterile as saline."

"Oh, right." He hadn't thought about it too much – it wasn't like the Autumn ocean but that didn't mean it was any better an idea. "Well, the idea will keep." He pulled her close, leaning down to kiss her. He almost didn't notice the smugness of her smile, and soon forgot it, though Lou excused herself to go check on her forge before things got too intense.

She didn't come to bed until he'd taken his sleeping draft, so he was half passed out when she joined him for snuggled before he was completely out. She was still sleeping hard the next morning – or more likely had recently gotten back to sleep after waking and working half the night away. He stayed with her until he got too restless and hungry, then gave her a kiss on the cheek and got up to start his 'day', whatever the term meant when they were travelling on a magical submarine through the deep Dreaming.

That day was pretty typical for life on the _Fantastic_. He did a little drawing, a little training, helped Lam with his Chronos, and tried to do some useful thinking regarding the next steps for their quest. Dinner was the usual communal affair prepared by Peony with assistance from Yusri. He tried to draw a little more out of Khadjia about her home, with mixed success. As no one left the table angry or upset, he still counted it a win.

He had more elaborate plans for the night. Around the usual time, Trolius let Lou know he was going to bed, but instead of taking his potion, he waited.

She came in around the time the potion would have just started to kick in, and they might have shared a few sleepy kisses before he passed out. She startled briefly at seeing him so unexpectedly alert, but a smile spread across her face.

"Hey babe," he said, lounging on his side on the makeshift bed they'd cobbled together. The blanket hung low across his hips, and he patted the mattress invitingly.

"Did you wait up for me? Or just get caught up with something else instead of getting ready for bed." She flopped down beside him to take her boots off, and he sat up a bit to rub her shoulders.

"I've been missing you a little," he admitted, planting a kiss on the back of her neck. "And tomorrow's just a travel day."

Lou laughed, working on her second boot. "Babe, Draur was just two days ago."

"So? Maybe it whetted my appetite." He kissed her neck again, breathing in deeply. "I can't resist you." 

She twisted around to face him. "And I guess you are awful pretty."

"That makes two of us."

This time she responded with more kisses, guiding his hands after a moment to help her out of her jeans. He kept his hands on her thighs while she pulled off her t-shirt and sports bra in one practiced motion. Trolius sat back, surprised. The image of an hourglass was inked into her side, still a bit red around the darkest lines and shading

"What? When…"

"In Draur, obviously, when the rest of you were dicking around trying to figure out what you wanted." She pushed him onto his back, catching his hand as it slid up towards the new tattoo. "No touchy. Still too fresh."

"It's beautiful." Hourglasses were his thing. It wasn’t even in a place many other people were likely to see. "You-" 

He hasn't been sure what he was going to say, but she cut him off anyway. Lou wasn't big on talking about things a lot of the time – she preferred other kinds of demonstrations. In the moment he was happy to meet her half way, and show her just how special she made him feel.

They lay together afterwards, tired and content, until Trolius had to adjust his spooning position to account for his arm starting to fall asleep. Lou sighed.

"This is nice babe, but you should probably take your potion."

He snuggled in closer, curling his arm around her stomach. "What if I don't, though. We can just…stay like this and see what the night brings. Be there for each other."

Lou tensed and sat up, frowning down at him in the dim light.

"So this is really what you meant when you said tomorrow is just a travel day. You want to suffer just for some cuddles?"

"What?" He sat up too, giving her some space. "Babe. Lou, we talked about this." She'd been on board with the idea at the time, willing to face any possible consequences. He'd thought she'd been serious, and didn't know what might have changed her conviction.

"You said you were thinking about it in case you got some answers, not because of me."

"Can't it be more than one thing? I love you."

"None of this is, or should be, about me." She grabbed her shirt (his shirt) and flung off the blanket she'd been half under. "I am not okay being the reason you are having nightmares if you don't have to."

"And I'm supposed to be okay knowing you are, and there's nothing I can do?"

"I'm fine." She continued dressing furiously. "I have projects. I don't need you to worry about me."

"Lou! That's not – that's not how it works. And this isn't… it's not even what I meant!"

"I'm gonna go check the forge." She pulled the shirt on, tugging it down over her hips defiantly as her new tattoo disappeared from sight. "You do what you want."

"Please don't go." He stood when she did but Lou reached down to grab her boots and backed out of the room, leaving him standing naked, alone, and confused.

Trolius sat back down slowly, trying to trace what he'd done, or where things had gone wrong. How could he feel so terrible after feeling so amazing, loved and cherished, not so long ago? 

He didn't know that his dreams were easier when he was in a good mood, but they were definitely worse when he was upset. He'd tried to set himself up for success, planning some time together with Lou in the future and making the night feel special. The tattoo had really pushed that notion beyond his wildest dreams – only to have it come crashing down. He wanted to go after her, but didn't know what else he could say right now. She wasn't mad, or she was, but it was the surface expression of something else, and he wasn't sure what. It would be better to give her some space. He didn't think there was a right answer for that, or for what he should do. Forgo the potion and show her that it wasn't about her, take the risk that something could go really wrong and he'd be alone? Or take it, let it drive all his concerns away for the moment, and let her worry that she'd been right?

And she was right – it was about her. Trolius didn't want to do this without her. He took a deep breath and reached for the bottle.


End file.
